In the Gargano
Typical Christmas dishes: Christmas Eve
Nowadays, in the Gargano area, a Christmas Eve aperitif is very popular. This aperitif involves the preparation of the famous " pettole ," made by mixing flour, water, yeast, and salt and frying them in boiling oil. In Cerignola, they are filled with tomato, pecorino cheese, and anchovies. Among the traditional Christmas first courses, we find a rich version of pancotto, the Zuppetta , which is especially popular on Christmas Eve, as are other fish-based first courses. Among the second courses, however, you cannot miss the capitone , or female eel. This is a dish with ancient origins, already beloved by Frederick II of Swabia, who offered it to his guests. There is also the famous tasty salad served between courses. A special mention goes to the salted cod It can be served fried (as a main course) or stewed with tomatoes, capers, and black olives, accompanied by toasted bread. Another variation is cod with potatoes "in pignata," made with layers of cod seasoned with bay leaves and baked in the oven, topped with pecorino cheese for a crust.
Christmas Lunch and Boxing Day
Appetizers open the Christmas lunch. They include cured meats, cheeses (burrata, caciocavallo, and mozzarella), vegetables, and bruschetta with cherry tomatoes. Among the first courses, the favorites are: lasagna or the baked pasta Prepared with macaroni, ground meat ragù, cured meats, and even hard-boiled eggs. The second courses are meat-based. In fact, spit-roasted kid, baked pork ribs with potatoes, and baked lamb are served. The Boxing Day lunch is almost similar to that of Christmas Day, with the difference that the first courses are favored. tortellini in broth or simple vegetable soups . During these three days of celebration, if you are still not satisfied, you can eat dried or fresh fruit and typical sweets, all accompanied by various digestives such as walnut liqueur or the limoncello .
New Year's Eve dinner
In this area, the New Year's Eve dinner includes the preparation of appetizers and first courses based on seafood cooked and raw. Among the main courses, we find fried or stewed capitone (capitone) and other fish-based dishes such as lobster. Everything is accompanied by cheeses, cured meats, olives, bruschetta, dried and fresh fruit, a digestive liqueur, and coffee. At the stroke of midnight, diners follow a ritual that requires them to eat: lentils and zampone as a sign of good wishes for the new year.
In the Itria Valley
Typical Christmas dishes: Christmas Eve
In the Itria Valley, the undisputed star of Christmas Eve dinner is the freshest fish caught along the regional coast. Linguine with scampi sauce, spaghetti with mussels or clams, and stuffed cuttlefish sauce are among the most popular first courses in the Itria Valley. The dinner is characterized by fried food, which also serves as a second course: it's a mix of savory pettole, panzerotti, and hollow fritters (called popizze in Bari), accompanied with pepper preserves or spicy ricotta and sgagliozze (typical of the old part of Bari). Another ritual consists in the preparation of the calzone with onion Made with focaccia dough and filled with sponsali (long white onions), raisins, pitted olives, cheese, oil, and salted anchovies. It's always accompanied by dried and fresh fruit, traditional sweets, bitters, and coffee.
Christmas Lunch and Boxing Day
Here, Christmas lunch begins with a lovely selection of raw seafood, such as allievi and octopus. As a first course, orecchiette with ragù (called orecchiette) are a must. chiancaredde ), which takes several hours to cook. Following this, we find a selection of meat-based dishes which include Martina Franca bombettes (stuffed veal rolls), pork sausage, and the famous zampina di Sammichele (veal sausage cooked with cherry tomatoes and spices). On Boxing Day, however, people usually prefer a vegetable soup accompanied by pork ribs or pork rind sauce, as well as a small chicory timbale with meatballs in meat broth as a second course. Lunch, again, concludes with panettone, homemade desserts, digestifs, bitters, and coffee.
New Year's Eve dinner
Here, the New Year's Eve dinner includes appetizers and first courses based on cooked and raw seafood. Linguine with scampi sauce and rice, potatoes and mussels They're a must-try among the first courses. Among the second courses, we find other fish-based dishes such as lobster, crawfish, and cod stew with cherry tomatoes. Everything is accompanied by cheeses, cured meats, olives, and bruschetta. stewed turnip tops in a terrine , dried and fresh fruit, digestive and coffee.
Typical Christmas dishes: Christmas Eve
Nowadays, in Salento as well as in Gargano, a Christmas Eve aperitif is a popular event. This aperitif involves the preparation of the famous "pittule," small balls of water and flour fried in olive oil and stuffed with cod, cauliflower, shrimp, peppers, and olives. They are accompanied by a glass of Salice Salentino wine. In addition to the "pittule," traditionally enjoyed pasta with cod, which guests prepare for Christmas lunch, as well as other seafood dishes (mussels, scampi). Another popular first course in this area is "pittule" (a type of pasta with cod). turnips 'nfucate (with a spicy flavor). Furthermore, tradition calls for fried or baked capitone (a lighter version). This is followed by dried and fresh fruit, sweets, a bitter digestif, and coffee.
Christmas Lunch and Boxing Day
In addition to the numerous starters (cured meats, cheeses, olives, etc.), the Salento Christmas lunch is characterized by several dishes such as baked pasta, lasagna, and capon broth soups. Also very popular are the turcinieddhri Grilled, also known as gnummareddhi (flavorful lamb rolls). Salento meatballs are made with a mixture of ground pork, eggs, and pecorino cheese and can be fried or stewed in tomato sauce. Side dishes include artichokes and fried cardoons. On Boxing Day, diners gather together to enjoy a vegetable soup and other meat-based dishes (pork, veal). Fresh and dried fruit, a long selection of homemade desserts, digestives, and coffee round out the meal.
New Year's Eve dinner
For the New Year's Eve dinner, you have the possibility here to choose, among the first courses, those based on raw or cooked fish (such as ravioli stuffed with Mediterranean blue fish) or the Burnt wheat pasta with ricotta . As a second course, we generally find the famous fried fish, smoked salmon served on a bed of warm crostini, or snapper. Bruschetta with fresh cherry tomatoes or stewed turnip greens can be served as an appetizer or side dish. In this area, as in the Gargano and Itria Valleys, at the stroke of midnight, diners follow a ritual of eating lentils and zampone as a sign of good luck for the new year.
For more information on Christmas holidays in Puglia, you can visit the website www.pugliaetmores.it .
Source: Nonno Michele Editorial Staff